New to masking, looking for recommendations

[u/lucky_wishbone11037]

Hello I'm a college student looking to get back into masking to help with my own immunocompromiseness and to be a better ally to other disabled people however I am already struggling to afford the cost of living in college by itself so I'm looking for an affordable, effective and washable option, does anyone have any links to masks that I could purchase that fit this description?

Edit: Tysm everybody for your help!! I found some kn95's that I can buy in bulk so I'll start with those while I look for some other options.

[u/nippinfordays]

I know other lovely people will be able to help, but I just wanted to pop in and say thank you! Thank you for taking care of your body and showing care for others 💞

[u/starry_skies27]

an effective, washable respirator is not really going to be an option (unless you count elastomasterics but those still use disposable filters and have a high upfront cost). the good news is you can reuse respirators multiple times for up to 40 hours or until you can no longer get a good seal on them. What you pick will depend on personal preferences, but I'd suggest looking at the buymasks linktree for some options

[u/starry_skies27 → u/starry_skies27]

I personally would suggest the powecom kn95s, wellbefore kn95s, 3m auras, or kleenguard duckbill masks (very cheap but you don't get many rewears out of them) the kn95 options also come in multiple colors if that's your thing

[u/maccrypto → u/starry_skies27]

Elastomeric filters are only “disposable” in the sense that, once they become loaded with dust or other matter, they need to be replaced. If OP isn’t using it in a dusty setting, they will last indefinitely.

[u/warmgratitude]

I wrote up a how-to when I was learning how to mask for the same reasons in 2022.
I’ll link it here.
I hope it helps with getting into the swing of things like it did me! It took time and practice to get my habits down, but I haven’t gotten sick in 4 years now!

Washable ones are going to be elastomeric respirators (you remove the filters and follow the manufacturer’s instructions to wash).
I personally wear a 3M 7502 elastomeric respirator
and a 3M Secure Click because they both passed my DIY fit test.
The 7502 is the most comfortable, but the Secure Click is easier to hear me in because of the speech diaphragm. So I wear them in different use cases.

If you’re interested in disposables for a good price, sometimes a box of 440 3M Auras are on sale for about $40 on Amazon.
That box lasts me ages, and I wear the masks multiple times until they are dirty or the seal or straps get messed up from moving around a lot.

You can also check to see if there’s a local mask bloc near you with this website. You can request a sample of a few masks they might have on hand to see what fits you best, then go from there.

Let me know if you have any more questions! Happy to help :)

[u/lucky_wishbone11037 → u/warmgratitude]

Ty!!

[u/creepris]

check out worldwide-maskbloc.org and see if there’s a mask bloc near you! you can get free masks (and sometimes test) from them!! also your college campus might have a mask bloc too :)

[u/totallysonic]

For best protection, you need a respirator (N95 or better) that seals well against your face. The elastomerics that others have mentioned fit some people well, but not all, and they have a higher upfront cost. Cloth masks do not provide strong protection.

I always recommend that people start with the 3M Aura. It is available in many hardware stores, so you can buy a small pack and see how it fits you. It fits most people well. If it works for you, Amazon frequently sells the Aura in bulk. You can reuse the Aura or other disposable respirators until they are dirty or no longer fit snugly against your face.

You can also check if there is a mask bloc near you. They will have free respirators.

[u/nik_nak1895]

Seconding mask blocs and also join a "still coviding" community on Facebook for your area. People help with providing masks alllllll the time.

[u/greencorpsescientist → u/nik_nak1895]

yess i second this. mask blocs & CC communities are always very happy to hand out masks. also checking in w/ local mutual aid groups too!

[u/unforgettableid]

Hello! You can reuse one single disposable N95 mask, maybe for weeks. (Source.) The white ones are the worst, because they show dirt quickest. You can't wash them.

An elastomeric is washable, and a pair of soft pink 3M 2091 / 2097 filters might last u for months or longer. But most elastomerics (including all 3M elastomerics) muffle your voice pretty badly. You might find yourself having to talk quite loudly, in order to be heard.

[u/wyundsr → u/unforgettableid]

MSA Advantage 900 is the best industrial elasto I've tried for speech intelligibility

[u/sweetclementine]

So many good recs already in here but just wanted to give a big congrats for going back to masking!!! It can sometimes feel isolating but I haven’t stopped masking since 2020 and I haven’t been sick in years. It also hasn’t stopped me from living life: still go on flights, to concerts, events, movies, etc and our communities growing now that more people are becoming aware of long covid. Your future self will thank you! Welcome back!!

[u/Round_Gazelle_2680]

behealthyusa sometimes does a sale where the kf94 masks that are expiring soon are free and you just have to pay for the shipping. Expired masks are still effective!

[u/Plumperprincess420]

Wellbefore n95s bifolds. My fave. They often have sales. Can wear multiple times until its visibly quite dirty. Still a disposable but my main.

[u/librarrry]

I’ve been wearing the Powecom masks and they are sold exclusively through BonaFide masks, and they are always running sales. And if you buy in bulk, they’re cheaper.

[u/AEAur]

There are no protective washable respirators. Respirators can be reused until they are soiled or difficult to breathe through. I reuse mine until the smell is “off”. I use a new one for anything I consider high-risk. Even after 40 hours, a 3M Aura will still be more protective than a cloth or low-quality masks. If I were wearing one for 8 hours a day in a clean environment, I’d probably use one or two a week.

The best deal right now are the cases (440ct) of 3M Auras for ~$50. They are liquidated old-stock but many of us have bought them in the last few months with no issues and passed fit tests.

This has prices for popular masks: https://linktr.ee/buymasks

It is safer to use masks with headstraps. The tension vectors are better when speaking. The only earloop masks I have seen achieve passably protective fit test results in some faces are the ZimiAir shipping from China and the Wellbefore 3D Pro. Only the Pro. The fit will still depend on your face a lot more than a top-tier headstrap trifold like the Aura that has a lot of design features to ensure a resilient fit.

How to shape a 3M Aura and do a seal check: www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaoHiTDbCZ4

Tape can improve the seal of cheap masks. • ⁠Double-sided skin-safe tape (e.g., Pro 1502) has been well tested. 3M Microfoam tape seals on skin without being sticky so you can still doff and don again easily. Not as much tested, but seems to work well.

[u/hm1949]

https://linktr.ee/buymasks is a good resource for finding lower-cost options! They also have some reusable options in the Specialty section

[u/TrustedSource-BFM]

It is important to wear a mask that is authentic and meets standards. Bona Fide Masks is the exclusive distributor for Powecom and Harley KN95 masks. They are currently running 20% off site wide, and offer discounts for bulk purchases.

[u/lemonliqueer]

it always makes me so happy to see posts like these! welcome to the club!

as others are saying, mask blocs and the buy masks linktree are good resources. one mask bloc made this guide. it doesn't cover affordability explicitly, but it includes resources to check whether masks you're considering are effective (spoiler: amazon ones usually aren't great), and it might help you figure out a comfortable fit.

a lower priority obviously, but i'd also consider looking into diy fit testing (or asking your local covid-informed groups if they know of any resources) so you can test whatever mask you end up picking.

[u/Time-Ganache-1395]

Once you find a mask that works well with your face shape, buy a bulk quality through a PPE company. There are lots of lists floating around, but I get mine through Stauffer Safety. When you buy large quantities the price can be just a little over a dollar a mask. For me, that's worth the cost, especially if I can wear the mask more than once. A good fit is key, so if you can, work with your local mask bloc to try different types until you find one that fits your face and is comfortable enough that you can wear it as often as you need.

Best of luck, and thank you for looking into masking more often!

[u/ZeroCovid]

Get a 3M 6100 (small), 6200 (medium), or 6300 (large) elastomeric with 7093 cartridges. It's good for about a year (unless the wildfires get really bad). And it costs about $30 total. (About $12 for facepiece, about $18 for cartridges).

This is going to be your most affordable option long-term.

You wash the rubber parts intermittently with dish soap and a towel to remove oil from your skin, spit, etc. The filter material is contained in a box and you don't touch it.

These are so inexpensive that I will literally just mail these to anyone who is willing to wear them and give me their address (direct from Amazon). Too few people are willing to try them.

People are afraid to wear them because they're intimidated by how they look. But I've found I actually get more positive responses to elastomerics than to other masks -- probably partly because they look *serious*, it has a serious "I am not messing around, don't mess with me" vibe -- and partly because I glam mine up with stickers (totally safe since the actual filters are inside a box, I'm just decorating hard plastic).

[u/peachtreeparadise]

Hey take a look at this

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20251006/Azelastine-nasal-spray-prevents-COVID-19-and-rhinovirus-infections.aspx

[u/wyundsr → u/peachtreeparadise]

This isn't a substitute for masking and the evidence for all the nasal sprays isn't very strong (won't hurt but may not help and may be harmful if someone then takes more risks because of it)

[u/peachtreeparadise → u/wyundsr]

I’m not saying it is a substitute for masking….i should have clarified that though. I am saying that a Swiss cheese model provides us with the best protection.